iscover
The alliance with the newly inaugurated Trump administration will be the cornerstone of Australia’s foreign policy and national security, according to comments made by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles this week.
Donald J Trump will be sworn in as President of the United States of America for a second time during a ceremony held inside the United States Capitol building in Washington DC this week.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, speaking to ABC RN Breakfast on 20 January, said Australia will be represented by the foreign minister and ambassador to the United States.
“The prime minister is attending to his duties here in Australia, but Australia will be well represented at the inauguration by the foreign minister and obviously our ambassador to the United States,” he said.
“We look forward to the inauguration of President Trump and the incoming Trump administration, and we very much look forward to working with them over the course of the next four years.
“The alliance between Australia and America is our most important relationship. It is really the cornerstone of both our foreign policy and our national security. And we have a lot of equities in the relationship, and we’re very excited about being able to pursue them with the Trump administration.”
Concerns have previously been raised about the US production of nuclear-powered submarines and the flow-on schedule to provide submarines to Australia under the AUKUS Trilateral Defence Treaty.
“We watched at the end of 2023 legislation pass through the United States Congress which has enabled AUKUS, that was supported across the political spectrum in the United States, including those in Congress who are key allies and supporters of President Trump,” Deputy PM Marles said.
“All the indications are there that this will continue under the Trump administration. And I think fundamentally, the reason why we can draw confidence from this is because AUKUS is in the strategic interests of the United States, as it, of course, is in the strategic interests of Australia and the United Kingdom. And that’s why, fundamentally, people support it across the political spectrum in all three countries, and why we feel very confident about its progress over the next four years.
“At the end of 2023, legislation went through the United States Congress, supported, as I said, by all of those across the political spectrum in the United States, enabling the sale of the Virginia Class submarines to Australia. First time ever that that ability and power has been given to an American government, to sell a nuclear-powered submarine to another nation.
“In August of last year, we signed a legally binding agreement between our countries which actually came into effect in the last few days, which again embodies the sale of the Virginia Class submarines.
“In terms of the production rates, we were very clear when this arrangement was first announced back in March of 2023, that there was a very big challenge for the United States in terms of production rates and a big challenge in terms of sustainment rates.
“What’s important is that the work is being done, the agreements are being signed, the money is being provided to see those production rates both in terms of construction and sustainment improved in the United States, which will enable the transfer of the Virginia Class submarines on time to Australia.
“Everything that we have seen is what is playing out. All the agreements that we’ve asked to be signed and steps to be taken are being taken. AUKUS is happening and it is on course.”
